It would have been a 3.46 GHz 12-core Mac Pro, except that the 3.46 GHz CPU was not available back in September 2010. You can do this today— right now— just get any 8-core 2.4 GHz Mac Pro, and head over to OWC for your computing pleasure.

It’s not cheap, but it’s not much different than paying Apple for the slower 3.06 GHz model (cost of 8-core refurb or used + CPU upgrade cost). And you’ll have a 12-core Mac Pro that is 13% faster than anything Apple will sell you.

You can also upgrade a 4-core Mac Pro to a 6-core 3.46 GHz for about $1600.

I’ve been running my 12-core 3.33 GHz Mac Pro for about 22 months now. It has been rock solid. So why can’t Apple offer 3.33 and 3.46 GHz options? That would have quelled the stunned disbelief of Mac Pro users looking for a speed upgrade. Something, anything.

That simple change would have been an 18% performance leap over the 2.93 GHz 12-core, nothing to sneeze at!

So simple, so very simple, yet Apple did not do it. What does that say about Apple’s comittment to professional users?